Most activists solely state the need to remove antibiotics from livestock production in order to solve antibiotic resistance. Addressing the human-based cause is more difficult, so pillorying a peripheral player is the emotional solution. NTM Removal in Farm Bill The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman advising that the enactment of mandatory catfish inspection at USDA, per the 2008 Farm Bill, would amount to imposing a non-tariff measure (NTM) and would consequently undermine U.S. efforts to remove NTMs confronting U.S. exports in other countries. The Chamber highlights how the requirement is likely to be WTO-illegal given that the government's own risk assessment notes that food borne i...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.